Food-processing mechanism



,Qct. 2,v 1945. E. o. MEHLJNE ErAL 2,385,823

FOOD rnocsssme MECHANISM Filed Sept. 8, 194; a Sheets-Sheet 1 ENFORS. m//e Q Mebl/lre a ATTORNEY E. o. MEHLINE ETAL 2,385,828"

FOOD PROCESSING MECHANISM Filed Septf 8, 1941 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 2, 1945.

[ngi/e 0. Mela/I'm: M/liam Ca/ er) A T T0)? N5 Y Oct." 1945. E Q ME ETAL I 2,385,828

' FOOD PROCESSING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 8, 1941 8 She ts-Sheet 5 .NQ Rm mm v 7 m MW RN 9 Oct. 2, 1945. E. O.IMEHLINE' ETAL 3 8 3 FOOD PROCESSING MECHANISM Oct. 2, 1945. E. o. MEHLINE ETAL FOOD PROGESSING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 8-, 1941 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 3 a 1 m e v NQ L1J QR NU. RS l l :1 .J Wm. M 8 8 u m 1M0 I. .I ll: l l|||l Trill O %& mm 8 m r O o O O O o k k a 8 8% i1 1,, {.18. a mm mm Q 8 1 Q 8 II \Q o o o v m 5 QQ WQ 1 III II 1 1 1; 8 Q 3 FOOD PROCESSING MECHANISM F 'ild Sept. 5, 1941 8,Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Oct. 2,. 194:5

' FOOD-PROCESSING MECHANISM Emile (Mehline and William Calvert, Seattle, Wash.

Application September 8, I941, Serial No. 410,090

1 Claim. (01. 99-361) This invention relates to a canning mechanism forfood products providing for a continuous inline production.

While standards have been adopted by the Food and Drug Administration setting forth temperatures and periods of exposure to be employed utes or less) after the cans have been filled, vacuumized and sealed. For example, in a paper in the canning of various food products generally foods may be classified as those which may be cooked at or below the boiling point in existing atmospheric pressure, as for example fruits, and those which must be cooked at elevated temperatures and hence pressures above atmospheric pressure, as for example fish products. Devices embodying the present invention are particularly useful in the canning of products requiring elevated temperatures and pressures, and for purposes of description and illustration but without limitation as to the scope of the invention or of they uses to which devices embodying'the invention may be put, the invention will be more particularly described in connection with the canning of salmon.

At the present time in the commercial canning of salmon, cans are filled with washed and cleaned salmon meat and to a location below the top of read' at the 8th annual canned salmon cutting demonstration at Seattle, Washington, on March 15, 1940, Mr. D. F. Sampson, who is the district manager of research of the American Can Company, in part stated:

It is not unusual for closed cans of salmon to stand. for some time before the process is started.

Accumulation of cans between theclosing mar chines and retorts is an indication of insuflicient retort or steam capacity. Ideally, every truckload of salmon should move directly fromthe closing machine intoa retort. Some time maybe required to fill the retort, but there should be no excessive delay before the closed cans are processed. If the closed cans stand too long spoilage may result. Canners of meats and poultry have learned that if 'cans stand much over half an hour spoilage may result. In some in-' stances these products are contaminated with bacteria of the type of Bacillus welchii. These the can. The space left at the top of the can' above the sahnon meat is generally referred to as head space. The head space left in the top of a one-pound tall standard can is eleven thirty-seconds of an inch. -Thereafter the cans are partly sealed, leaving an opening to permit the drawing of a vacuum within the can. Then a vacuum is drawn in the cans and the cans are sealed. The extent of the vacuum drawn is such that a vacuum pressure of approximately fifteen inches will be present after the cans of salmon have been cooked and cooled. Generally s *aking the vacuumizing machine will show approximately twenty-one inches of vacuum when the cans are sealed. Such cans if opened before cooking will show a vacuum of approximately nine to twelve inches, and after cooking and cooling the cans will how a vacuum of approximately fifteen inches. After vacuumizing and sealing, the cans of salmon are placed on trays, which are termed in the art coolers. Generally each cooler accommodates one hundred and forty-four No. 1 tall standards cans and has a surface area approximately thirty-eight square inches. The loaded trays or coolers are placed on cars and moved into cookers, which are generally hori-,

zontal tubular retorts.

It is known that the food product within the cans will spoil unless the cooking process is started in rather short time periods (oftenthirty minbacteria' grow very rapidly and produce large volumes of gas, mostly hydrogen, but do not produce typical odors of decomposition. In one instance, suflicient gas was produced to swell cans in one hour. We might add that these bacteria are not heat resistant and are readily destroyed during the process."

Mr. Sampson thus indicated that the ideal sitnation was one where-the filled, vacuumized and sealed cans should go directly to the cooking retort. Mr. Sampson thus merely reiterated the knowledge of those skilled in the art that long standing problems existed to positively eliminate any delay between the filling, vacuumizing and sealing of the cans and the cooking step. How- 'ever, Mr. Sampson provided no answer to the problem he stated except indicating the necessity for more perfect coordination between the operation of the cooking retort and the filling, vacuumizing and sealing steps. However, the time necessary to accumulate suflicient number of filled cans to fill a retort, theinherent lack of perfect coordination between an in-line production system for providing filled cans and a batch system of cooking, and the humanelement of error is such that in commercial production a very substantial number of cans filled with food products are annually spoiled because of the time delays resulting from a batch system of cooking.

In the handlingof the cans in loading and unloading the coolers or trays and the-moving of or coolers in superposed relation, it is common for cans to be damaged and generally two to six cans of each loaded tray or cooler are damaged,

' I either in the loading or unloading of the cooler or movement of the loaded cars into or'out of the cooking retort. The dropped and damaged cans dent, thus reducing the head space and vacuuin allowance within the can and resulting,

. where the reduction is substantial, in spoilage of the contents of the cans.

The retorts heretofore commonly used are steam heated to provide for the desired speed of heating. When steam is .first permitted to pass into such retorts, the retorts are open to the atmosphere to'provide a desired temperature at atmospheric pressure until suflicient of the liquids within thecan vaporize to provide a desired steam pressure therein. During this operaheretofore in the commercial canning of salmon,

the batch system of preheating the cans and cooking the cans has been employed.

In view of the batch system employed in the retort, a batch system has been heretofore used 'vidual cans for different periods of time after the intended cooking period and prior to completion of the Furthermore the batch system of.

. livered to the casing or packing machines following the cooling operation, and as a result it is cooling has resulted in batches of cans being decommon practice in Alaska-canneries to pile cans until the canning season is over and then to proceed with the casing and shipment of substantially the entire canned salmon pack. In other words, the batch system of cooking has brought about a batch system of cooling and in turn a batch system of easing. A great disadvantage re- 1 sults from the batch casing of canned salmon in collapse of the cans by the pressures obtaining during the cooking stage when the retort is sealed from the atmosphere and elevated pressures obtain. After the cans of salmon haveubeen processed at the desired temperature and for the desired period of time, (at 242 F. temperature for a period of one and one-half hours), the pressure in the retort is gradually lowered (termed in the art blowing down) and which takes 12 to 15 minutes and then the retort is opened and from the'r'etort. All the live steam whichis used in providing the desired temperature and .pressure in the retort obviously escapes, thus a further loss of steam occurs.

In connection with the loss of steam from the prior art retorts, the size and character of the retorts indicate generally the tremendous character of the loss. Retorts are generally horizontal tubular members with doors at each end, having a diameter of approximately six feet and being aslong as 32 feet. Canneries commonly use three to tencar retorts which will be respectively approximately six to thirty-six feet long.

After the cars loaded with trays of salmon are removed from the retort, they must be cooled to stop further cooking of the salmon.

During the past years many developments hav been made in the machinery handling the cans in the steps or processes ahead of the retort.

v the cars, loaded with trays of cans, are removed been cooled, have been increased to provide a capacity even greater than the capacity of the can handling devices ahead of the retorts.

All thevarious improvements have worked toward a conveyor in-line production to provide a I continuous stream of processed cans of salmon." However, not to our knowledge has a commercially successful continuous process heating and cooking retort been heretofore devised, so that that the cannery is not in a position to. ship its canned salmon until after the canning season is over. space which is at a premium in Alaska canneries, as most canneries are built over the water on piling so that warehouses are expensive to build. Next the ships which continually bring supplies to the canneries during the canning season travel south with empty cargo space, rather than carrying the salmon canned to date. The salmon canned to date cannot be shipped as it is not continuously packed and cased after canning and cooling, but is more often stacked in piles around the canneries. The commercial system heretofore used not only loses the cargo space available on ships during the canning season, but taxes to a limit the cargo space available after the canning season isover, and many boats are required to travel relatively empty to Alaska to pick up the cased canned salmon after the canning season is over. The market price for canned salmon early in the canning season is generally higher than the price prevailing after the canning season has ended, and-a price disadvantage results from the packing and easing of salmon after the canning season is over rather than as'a partof a continuous'in-line production.

With the salmon pack arriving at ports, as=Seattle, substantially at one time, rather than continuously through the canning season, the inspection facilities of the Food and Drug Department are taxed'tothe limit. In many seasons approximately flve' months elapse before all of a season's pack is inspected and released by the Food and Drug Department. This delay of course provides a serious financial disadvantage to the salmon packers. The prior art commercial canning of food products has thus been characterized by continuous processing up to the stage of cooking and then a batch treatment. This batch cooking step has heretofore proved to be the bottle neck of the commercial canning processes and has resulted in inefficient utilization of both material and labor. 9

It is an object of the present invention to provide a combination preheater and cooking device where the filled, vacuumized and sealed cans may be delivered in a continuous stream to the preheater and cooking device and discharged therefrom in a similar stream. It is a further object of this invention to pro- This requires considerable warehouse from the pockets of the cylindrical valve member.

I1; is a further object of the invention to provide a device which is open to the atmosphere, having a plurality of can carrying conveyors therein, and connected with a liquid ofa desired temperature whereby said device may be used as a cooler member (with the liquid at a desired through the cooking chamber with a minimum of agitation to the canned products to eliminate any possibility of mincing or breaking up of the texture of the products in the can. While the canned products are moved through the =cooking retort, they obviously attain a very high temperature and at such period of time agitation of the 'cans will tend'to cause the products to lose their form. While this is true in the case of most products, it is particularly true in the case of products, as salmon. The above mentioned agitation is of course to be distinguished from periodic gentle turning movements which cause the liquids to pass through the pieces of' salmon and beneficially reduce the necessary cooking period. It has been found that a plurality of periodic turnings or partial rotary movements of the filled cans not only reduces the cooking period but eliminates uneven cooking, dry cooking and sticking of the salmon skin to the can. In other words, the devices of this invention provide for more rapid and uniform I cooking and at the same time a product with a better texture.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cooking chamber in which is disposed, a plurality of superposed conveyors where the filled,

.vacuumized and sealed cans travel in one direction on the upper lap of a. conveyor, thence around to-the lower lap of the conveyor, across the conveyor on the lower lap to the first mentioned end, and are then discharged to and received by the next lower conveyor means and are thereafter, in the number of conveyors present, subjected to the same treatment.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cooking chamber wherein horizontal conveyor chains are provided which are loaded and discharged at the same end of the conveyors.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a plurality of carrier devices or buckets mounted on conveyor means, each of which buckets is characterized by having a portion extending in the plane of the conveyor, then a portion extending at right angles to the conveyor, then a curved portion, and then a, straight portion, said last two portions extending in a direction counter to the direction of the travel of the conveyor, whereby a can may be conveyed by one bucket member and the portion of the next succeeding bucket member positioned at right angles to the conveyor.

It is a further object of the invention to Provide inlet valve means and outlet valve means disposed respectively in an upper and in a lower portion of a cooking chamber to deliver un cooked canned products into and cooked canned products out from the cooking chamber and at the same time maintain a cooking chamber sealed from atmospheric temperatures and pressures. It isa further object of the invention to provide a cylindrical valve member provided with can carrying pocket members therein and positively driven discharge levers for ejecting cans:

temperature) in combination with a cooking retort or may be used as a low pressure cooking member and the liquid heated by water or steam to a desired temperature.

It is a further object of the invention to provide cooking devices wherein a plurality of conveyor means in side by side relation may be employed so that a plurality of streams of cans may be processed at one time.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a plurality of mechanisms so that sealed and vacuumized cans may be received as they are delivered from the usual can sealing devices,

the filled cans cooked and then cooled, and then the cans delivered in a continuous stream to the packaging or casing devices.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a simple, efficient and economical preheater, cooking device, and cooler device which requires minimum space and provides for maximum production and the most efflcient utilization of material and labor.

The above mentioned general objects of this invention, together with others inherent in the same, are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the following drawings, the same being preferred exemplary'forms of embodiment of this invention, throughout which drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary schematic plan view and on a somewhat reduced scale showing various apparatus employed in the present invention and particularly correlating an operative arrangement thereof;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary schematic side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of broken line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3' is a view with parts in side elevation and parts in section and with parts broken away showing a preheating and cooking retort embodying the present invention-portions of the conveyors I1 and 96 and the pockets 82 being indicated schematically by dot and dash lines;

Fig. 4 is a view partly in end elevation and partly in section taken substantially on broken line 4-4 of Fig. 3, the hood H4 that is shown in Fig. 3 being omitted;

Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation, with parts being broken away taken substantially on 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly member, and which is substantially the same as that used in the discharge valve member and taken substantially on broken line 88 of Fig. 9; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on broken line 9-9 of Fig. 8, showingparticularly in dotted lines the cam arrange ber of streams of cans desired which in the pres ment for rejecting cans from the valve member;

ent illustration. is eight. The cans in each I trough or chutel5l enter a can twister 52. Thecan twister 52 may be of usual construction and serves to turn the cans from an upright position where they rest on one end throughan angle'of 90 so that the cans rest on their sides. Thus eight-streams are provided with the various cans resting on their sides.

In Figs. 1, 2, and we show elevator means generally illustrated by 32 for delivering the chain take-up device used-in the said cooking retort; r

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 12 showing parts in section substantially on broken line 83-13 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 12, except showing particularly a chain take-up device used in the preheater portion of the cooking retort;

' Fig. 15'is a fragmentary view in elevation with parts shown in section of an elevator mechanism 32 and 35 shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the parts whichareshown in later drawings are here schematically illustrated for the purpose of enabling one to more completely visualize the complete structure. Comparing such Figs. 1 and 2 to later figures, inlet 30 represents an inlet where a continuous stream of filled, vacuumized and sealed cans are delivered. This stream, in commercial production, will come from the can sealing mechanism. The can sealing mechanism, which forms no part of the present invention, is not here illustrated or described.

The stream of cans from the inlet 35 passes through the divider mechanism 3!. This divider mechanism functions to divide the one stream of cans from the inlet 30 into a plurality of streams of cans, as eight; The eight streams of cans which leave the divider mechanism 3! are delivered from the divider 3| via elevator mechanism 32 (shown in detail in Fig. 15) to the combination preheater and cooking retort 33. The

combination preheater and cooking retort 33 is also shown in Figs. 3 to 14 of the drawings wherein the filled, vacuumized and sealed cans are subjected to th desired cooking treatment and then delivered to a conveyer mechanism 34 shown in Fig. 2. From the conveyer mechanism 34 the cans are delivered to an elevator 35, which may be similar to the elevator mechanism 32 (also shown in Fig. 15) thence to the conveyor mechanism 31 (which may be similar to the conveyer 34) and thence to the cooler 36.

After the cans have been properly cooled to retard all further cooking they are delivered out of the cooler 36 to converger 38. In the converger 38 the eight streams of cans are converged to form a single stream of cans and the single stream ofcans delivered from the converger 38 will be delivered to the desired packaging-and casing machines so that the then completely processed cans of food products may be cased as a continuous step in the process.

Referring to the divider 3|- a rotating driven disk 41 is mounted on a shaft 48 which is connected to electric motor' 46 through reduction unit 49. A fixed guide 50 is provided so that cans which are urged upon the rotating disk or turn table 41 will not interfere with the delivery of cans onto the rotating disk 41. By centrifugal force cans 39 on the rotating disk 41 are moved in a radialdirection and enter one of the various troughs or chutes 5|. The number of troughs or chutes 5| to be used will depend upon the numstreams of cans provided by the divider numbered 3| in Figs. 1 and 2 to the combination preheater and retort numbered 33 in Figs. 1 and 2 and shown in detail in Figs. 3 to 14.

Referring to Fig. 15, shafts 53 and 54 are journaledin any suitable means and supported by frames 55.. Endless chains 56 are mounted on sprocket wheels 51 and dogs 58 are mounted on chains 56. One of the shafts 5354 is connected to a source of power (not shown) to provide trav-.

elling movement to the endless chains 56 and the dogs 58 carried thereby. Also the chain take up device GI is provided for obvious reasons. The cans 39 are fed by gravity from the troughs 5| and through can twisters 52 (Figs. 1 and 2) and enter between two adjacent dogs 58 (Fig. 15).- The dogs 58 are of a width less than the length of the cans and engage the center portions .of the cans and at the top of the elevator a fixed guide 59 (Fig. 15) is provided which will engage the cans at outer portions of the cans. The

is disposed above a cooking chamber or cooking retortli, see also Fig. 2. The cans 39 in the troughs 60 first encounter -a driven spacer screw 12, Figs. 3 and 7, so as to provide streams of laterally spaced and timed cans which will be passed through the preheater chamber by means hereinafter described. The preheater chamber In is heated by any usual means, as pipes l3 connected .to a steam inlet pipe 16. Preferably the preheater chamber 10 is heated by the heat eminating from pipes 13 and such pipes discharge their steam into the bottom of retort H (through conduits not shown) to provide the desired temperature and pressure therein. In view of the well known manner in which chambers may be heated by steam pipes, the usual return pipes, traps, safety valves,'etc. are not here described or illustrated.

Conveyor mechanism 11, Figs. 3 and 7, is provided within the preheater chamber Ill and in the illustration herein eight conveyors H, see Fig. 4, are employed for passing eight streams of cans through the preheater. Between the preheater inlet 18, (Figs. 2 and 7)" and the spacer screw 12 is 'a can booster member 16 which is synchronized with the conveyor mechanism 11 as the spacer screw 12 so as to positively urge cans- 39 into Docketmembers 82 shown detached in Fig. 10 and which aredescribed later in connection with the cooking retort.

The preheater chamber 10 is in communication with the atmosphere, as through troughs 60 so that desired temperatures at atmospheric A curved wall 15, Figs; 3 and "7, is provided to facilitate movement of a'can 39 by the advancing portion of a pocket means 82 and by the can booster 16. By synchronizing the spacer screw 12, the can booster 18, the conveyor mechanism 11 and pocket members 82 carried thereby, the plurality of streams of cans, eight as here shown,

will pass in the direction of the arrows in Fig, 3

along the top lap of the conveyor and be returned at the'lower lap of the conveyor. The guides for the ends of the cans, the longitudinal supporting means for the conveyor and cross, stays supporting said longitudinal members may be duplicates of those hereinafter illustrated and described in connection with the cooking retort and for such reason are not here described.

At the end of the preheater chamber 18 and shown to the left of Fig. 3 of the drawings are provided chain take up devices 69. These chain take up devices 69 (also shown in detail in Fig. 14) permit expansion and contraction of the length of the conveyor mechanism H in the preheater and are similar to the chain take up devices illustrated in Figs. Hand 13 for use in connection with the cooking retort except that they are not provided with steam tight fittings. In other words, the adjustment for the take up devices 89 is external oi the preheater chamber 18 and the chain supporting portions of the chain'take up devices 89 are within the preheater chamber, but steam tight packing need not be provided about the opening through which the chain take up devices 69 pass from within the preheater chamber to the outside thereof. Separate chain take up devices 59 are provided for each of the conveyor mechanisms 11, which will require eight in number.

The preheater 18 connects with the cooking retort H by way of valve means referred to generally as 88, see Fig. 3 and for a larger fragmentary view see Figs. '7' and 9. The pocket means 82 engage the center portion of the can and a fixed guide 19 engages the cans at their end portions and permits the conveyor I1 and pocket means 82 to pass through the fixed guide means 19 but the said guide means 19 insure that the cans 39 will be diverted and discharged from the preheater chamber I8 and into the inlet valve means 88 of the cooking retort II as the pocket members 82 pass this position.

The inlet valve means 88 and the discharge.

valve means 83 are shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 while the cylindrical member within each of said valves is best shown in Flgs. 6, 7, 8 and 9. The purpose ofthe inlet valve 88 and discharge valve 83 is to permit cans to be delivered into and out of a chamber wherein elevated temperatures and pressures are employed with a minimum loss of heat and pressure. The housing members 8! and 84 of the inlet valve means 88 and discharge valve means 83 are similar except for -the can inlet and can outlet passageways therethrough. Within said housing members 8| and 88 are rotor members 85, see Figs. 3', 6, 7, 8 and 9.

The valve means designated generally by 88 is' in two spaced apart sections, as best shown in Fig. 4, and the valve means designated generally by 83 is also in two spaced apart sections. One

of the rotor members 85 is provided in each of these sections. Each rotor member 85 of the valve means 88 is rigidly connected with shaft means I33. Similarly each rotor member 85 of the valve means 8l is rigidly connected with shaft means I32. The two shafts of each valve member are rigidly connected together between the two parts of the valve member by flanged coupling members 81, see Figs. 4 and 8. Bearings 81' are provided for shaft means I33 and I32. I Each rotor member 85 is of generally cylindrical shape and is provided with a plurality of can receiving pockets 88 arranged in circularv and longitudinal rows. In the structure shown, each rotor member 85 has four longitudinal and four circular rows of pockets 88. This provides sixteen pockets 88 in each rotor member 85 with four pockets 88 in each longitudinal row and four pockets 88 in each circular row.

The housings 8i and 84 are internally ground finished and .the periphery of each rotor 85 is similarly ground finished to provide a sliding seating fit and a minimum of steam loss past the inlet and discharge valve members 88 and The cans are urged into the inlet valve member 88 by th forward portion of a pocket member 82 trailing a can 39. v The cans are discharged from the valve members 88 and 83 by can ejectors 89. Can ejectors 89 are mounted on shafts 98, of which there are four in number in each valve housing. Shafts 98 carry arms 9| eachprovided with a roller 92 operating in a cam groove 93. Cam groove 93 is carried by a fixed portion 93' of the machine so that as rotor 85 rotates and roller 92 follows cam groove 93,

(Figs. 6, 8 and 9) the can ejectors 89 will, in

proper timed relation, eject the cans fromthe discharge valve 83 into the can discharge chute 98 (Figs. 3 and 6) or from the inlet valve means 88 out the valve outlet 95 (Figs. 3 and 7) and into the cooking retort I I.

Referring again to Fig- 3 and the enlarged portion of the inlet valve shown in Fig. 7, cans 39 will be discharged from the conveyor mechanism I! of the preheater 18 into a pocket 88 of the inlet valve mechanism 88. Through the gearing mechanism hereinafter described, the rotor 85 of the inlet valve 88 is synchronized with both the conveyors ll of the preheater I8 and the plurality of superposed conveyors 98 of the cooking retort 1|; Cans 39 discharged from the preheater l8 and into a pocket 88 of the in let valve 88 will be carried 'by the said pockets 88 for substantially two-thirds of a revolution. Upon operation of a can ejector 89, when a can reaches the outlet 95 (see Fig. 9) the can will be positively urged into a pocket member 82 of the conveyors 99 in the cooking retort II and at a time when the pocket members 82 on said conveyors 98 are passing around a curve and'are position so that the pocket 88 may receive a can.

It will be noted in connection with Fig. 9 that cans upon their discharge "each conveyor 90.

. of an angle bar.

ays

. I5. ,veyor is prevented-by the end supports llland I and the conveyor chains 05' are prevented the shape of the cam groove 93 such that the can electors 89 are in a retracted position except during the ejecting operation.

Theshape of the pocket means 82, employed bothin the .preheater chamber and cooking retort 1|, is preferably of a form shown in Fig. 10. These pocket means 82 comprise a base portion I 00 (shown partly broken away in Fig. 10 so portions I00 may be seen) and which base portion I00 preferably has integral therewith from sagging by supports I05 and I01. Preferably chann'elshaped brackets I01 are used to tie the supports I05 and I01 together, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 6, and 12. i

v After the cans on the upper lap of top conveyor 95 have travelled from the right handend of the machine to the complete left hand end thereof,

they are guided by plate I09 (Figs. 3, 12 and 13) about an arc of 180. The cans will by reason of gravity tend to follow the pocket members 82. However, in-the event that they do not completely follow a pocket member, the right angle portion at right angles to the base I00 and to the con- I veyor chain and will project upward on one lap of the conveyor chain and downward onthe other lap. A curved portion I03 extends between the right angle portion I02 and a portion I04 which extends substantially parallel to the base I00 and in the same direction as the base I 00 and in a directioncounter to the direction of travel of the conveyor. With such form of pocket member 82 the cans are supported by the base I00 during one direction of travel and held in a pocket member formed by the portions I02, I03 and I04 and the portion I02 of the next succeeding pocket member 82 in the line of travel of the conveyor. On the other direction of travel ,are shown and eight rows thereof, there will be the cans'are supported by the portions I00 and held in place by the right angle portion I02 of the next succeeding pocket member 52. The curved portion I03 also functionsto help eject from a conveyor mechanism. I

Cans 39 passing through outlet 95 (Figs. 3 and two pocket means 82 at the time the right angle portion I02 of one pocket means is passing around a gearwheel I28 and is substantially horizontal, while the right angle portion I02 of the next pocket means in advance thereof is in substantially a vertical position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 7. As the pocket member 82, which has received the can while'its right angle por-" I02 of the nextv succeeding pocket member urge the cans properly in position after they have travelled about an arc of, 180. The take-up devices I I0 (Figs. 3, 12 and 13) for keeping the conveyors 96 in position will be hereinafter described and serve to eliminate slack in the conveyors 96. In the particular illustration shown in Fig. 3, there will be one take-up device 0 for each conveyor and as six superposed conveyors forty-eight take-up devices IIO.- A number of these take-up devices are shown in end elevation in Fig. 5.

The cans travelling on the lower lap of the top conveyor will move from the left as respects the showing in Fig. 3 to the right thereof until they encounter a fixed guide I I I. The pocket members 82 are of a width less than the length of the cans 39and said pocket members 82 engage the center portion of the cans 39 (see Fig. 11). n The can guides III, two in number for each conveyor (see Fig.11 and also Figs. 3 and 6), engage a can 7) of the inlet valve 50 will be urged between supports I05 are providedfor the lower lap of each conveyor. There are eight conveyors laterally-of the machine and there will be teen of each' of the end supports I05 and I05.

. An upper support I05 is provided to support the upper lap of each conveyor 95 and a lower supsupport the lower lap of port I01 is provided to As shown, each end support I05 is the'upright flange of-an angle bar and each uppe support I05 is the horizontal flange A plurality of transverse cross I08 help to Support the supports "5,100, I05 .and "I1 at spaced locations, (see Figs. 4, 6, 12, and 14) and the Supports I05, I00 and I05" and I01 are also the retort housing as shown in a, s, '12 and Lateral movement ofthe pans on each consix-.

' cans will be ejected by the ejectors 89 into the at the .end portions thereof, leaving a space betweenthe can guides III and the pocket members 82. Rotating boosters II2= (seealso Figs. 3, 6 and 11) are in timed relationwith the conveyors 96 so that the cans engaging the fixed guides I II are positively moved fromthe lower lap of the top conveyor to the next conveyor 96therebelow, and areurged between two pocket' members 82 and again travel on the top lap of the second conveyor to the left ofthe device as shown in Fig. 3 and then return on the lower lap to the right hand side of said machine. This continues in a similar manner for the various superposed conveyors and of course for the number of conveyors and for the number of superposed conveyors laterally considered, which are eight in number in the particular illustration.

, When the cans 39 are travelling to the'right on the lowermost lap of a conveyor they will encounter fixed guides II3 (Figs. 3 and 6). The

:conveyor mechanism will pass through or betweenthe fixed guides but the cans will be defiected by the fixed guides H3 and will be urged by the conveyor mechanism into a pocket 08 of the discharge valve 03. After the rotor 85 of the discharge .valve 83 moves substantially the can discharge chute 9|, Y d

I have thus provided a series of conveyor chains in superposed ,relation'which will serveto carry fiiled vacuumized and sealed cans in one direce tion on the top lap of the conveyor and return the said cans on the bottom lap of the conveyor to the same end at which they were deliveredto supported from the ends of:

the conveyor. Then the said cans are positively discharged to the top lap ofthe conveyor mechanism therebelow. and similarly moved in one direction and then returned. The conveyors and cans thereon are supported throughout their travel so that a minimum of agitation occurs and the cans are not turned except at the time of change of their direction of travel. It will be observed that in this particular device illustrated the cans will be rotated only eleven times in their travel through the cooking retort II and will be supported against agitation at all times in their travel, thus providing for increased cooking speed and enhancing the quality of the cooked product.

A housing member II4. (Fig. 3) is provided'at the intake and discharge end portion of the preheater and cooker so that any heat which may escape from either the discharge valve 63 or the intake valve 80 will be conserved and pass into the preheater 'Il.

Referring to Figs. 12 and 13 and also to Fig. 3, take-up device III'I for the cooking retort is shown. In view of the temperatures-encountered in the preheater chamber and cooking retort l I it-is necessary to allow for expansion and contraction in the length of the chains used in the conveyor mechanisms. In said Figs. 12 and 13 a fragment of the end wall SE5 of the cooking retort II is shown. A frame H6 is secured to said end wall M5 by any suitable means. A shaft III is siidably supported by said frame H6 and said end wall H5. An adjustable packing device H8 of usual construction surrounds the shaft I H to provide for a steam tight sliding connection between the packing device H6 and the shaft III. The shaft II'I extends into the cooking retort II and supports a yoke frame 9, which yoke frame I IS in turn supports horizontal shaft I on which is mounted a sprocket I2I and thereon the conveyor 96. The yoke frame 3 is provided with slots I22, which interfit with the transverse cross stays I22 to support the yoke frame IIII against rotary movement. and maintain proper alignment of a shaft I20 with its conveyor mechanism 66. A compression spring I23 is provided and nut means I24 permits desired adjustment of the spring tension of spring I23 to maintain a conveyor 36 taut. Ifdesired, the nut .means I24 may be adjusted during operation as it is externally positioned. Each conveyor in the cooking retort. which as here shown are fortyeight in number, will have its own separate takeup means shown in Figs. 12 and 13.

The take-up means 63 for the conveyors in the preheater chamber III, which are shown in Fig. 14, aresimilar, in construction to the take-up device shown in Figs. 12 and 13, except that the stuffing box Or packing device I I6 has been eliminated, as

' it is not necessary. In this connection it will be remembered that atmospheric pressures obtain in the preheater chamber IO. In the interests of brevity similar numbers are placed on similar parts of the take-up device shown in Fig. 14 to the take -up device shown in Figs. 12 and 13, and no further description is given.

The conveyor mechanism I1 in the preheater chamber 10, the inlet valve means 86 to the cooking retort II, the conveyor means 96 in-the cooking retort 'II, the outlet valve means 63 of said cooking retort, and the rotating boosters H2 in the cooking retort 'II are driven in synchronous timed relation. As illustration thereof I have provided ('see Fig. 4) a driven shaft I25 which serves as a source of power. This shaft I25 is connected to a vertical shaft I26 by any suitable meansas a worm drive. The shafts I21 v support the sprockets I26 on which are mounted the conveyors 36. Spur gears I23 connect the shafts -I2I with the shaft I26. Discharge valve 63 is geared with the shaft I26 by providing gears I 36 and HI. In other words, the lowermost shaft I21, as shown in Fig. 4, has one end portion connected asses by gears I23 with the shaft I26. The other or left hand end of said shaft I21 in Fig. 4 connects by gears I 36 and I3I with the two part shaft I32 supporting two part rotor 35 of the discharge valve 83. The two part shaft I33 supporting the rotor of the two part intake valve 80 is connected by gears I34 and I35 with the uppermost shaft 121 in the cooking retort 'II. The shaft I33 is also connected by gears I36 and I31 with the shaft I36. 0n the shaft I38 are mounted the conveyor mechanisms "in the preheater chamber II. The shaft I on which the can boosters I6 are mounted is connectedby gears I42 and I43 with the shaft I38 on' which the preheater conveyors TI are mounted. The driving means for the shafts N2 of can boosters II2 may consist of linkbelt means I44 positioned within the cooking retort, as shown in Fig. 6, or these shafts I I2 may be extended to the exterior of the retort and suitably geared to the shaft I26 or other driven shafts. The driving connections just described serve to time the movement of the conveyors E1 in the preheater chamber l6. the intake valve means 86, the conveyors 6 in the cooking retort II, the can boosters I6 and H2, and the outlet valve means 83. The spacer screws 12 are preferably driven by worm drive means I39, see Fig. '7, from a shaft I65. The shaft I is connected by link belt means I66 with the shaft I36 which is driven from shaft I26. This synchronizes the spacer screws I2'I with the other driven parts of the preheater and retort which are connected directly or indirectly with the shaft I26.

The elevator 32 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and shown more in detail in Fig. 15, has one of its driving shafts 53 or 54 connected by suitable driving means, (not shown) with the shaft I25 or one of the shafts driven thereby, so as to time the operation of the elevator means 32 with the various moving parts in the preheater chamber III and cooking retort II. The cans in the divider 3| (see Figs. 1 and 2) will be fed 'at such rate so that a. supply of cans will always be available at the intake of the elevator 32. The cans will then be in timed. relation through the elevator 32 and the preheater chamber 16 and cooking retort II. Cans leaving the cooking retort 'II will be delivered to the conveyor 34 generally shown in Fig. 2.-

The various shafts I21, Figs. 3 and 4, supporting the conveyor mechanisms in the cooking retort II are provided with stufling boxes I40 of usual construction to permit said shafts I21 to rotate, be driven by external gears, and yet provide a steamtight connection.

The conveyor mechanism 34 of Fig. 2 is driven at a somewhat accelerated rate, so as to keep a constant supply of cans available for the elevator 35, Figs. 1 and 2, which is identical in function with the elevator 32 except for length and angular direction and for such reason is only shown diagrammatically in Figs. 1 and 2. The details of elevator 35 will be identical in function with the details of the elevator shown in Fig. 15. Cans delivered from the elevator 35 will be delivered 'to the conveyor 31 shown somewhat schematically in,Fi'gs. 1 and 2. This conveyor 31 may be identical in function with the conveyor 34 and again the conveyor 31 runs at an accelerated speed to insure a constant supply of cans to the cooler 36 shown somewhat schematically in Figs. 1 and 2. Conveyor mechanisms are provided in the cooler device and such mechanisms may be similar to the conveyor mechanisms employed in the preheater II and the cooker II. Such conv'eyor mechanisms, the elevator 36, elevator 32 are in timed relation and driven from a common source as the shaft I" Fig. 4 to provide timed relation between the cooler 36 and the combination preheater chamber and cooking retort 33 in Fig. 1. Obviously-the cooler 36 must be operated at a speed fast enough so that it will accommodate. the output from the combination 8 aaeaeac v 4 v I preheated in the preheater chamber II at atmospreheater and cooker 33. One way of accomplishing such purpose is to provide the same speed for both as above indicated, where they are driven by a common source as I25.

The purpose of the cooler device 36 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is to passthe-cans through a cooling medium for a predetermined time period sov that the cans will be uniformly cooled and in timed relation to the cooking, so that the cooking will be arrested and uniform cooking. of the contents of the cans will obtain. The cooler mechanism 36 may be in all respects identical with the cooking retort 'II, except that the cooler 36 is in communication with the atmosphere and is communicatively connected at anysuitable location (not shown) with a source of fluid of desired temperature. The direction of feed to the cooler 36 may be modified so that it maybe used alone or in combination with other devices. The

pheric temperature, they are deliverd in a continuous stream to the cooking retort 'II where they are cooked at the desired temperature and pressure for the desired period of time. All cans are given the identical preheating and cooking treatment as they are delivered through the cooking mechanisms by timed conveyor mechanisms. Also the cans are moved through the cooking retort with a minimum of agitation and are periodically turned to provide'for utmost rapidity f texture of the canned product. Thereafter eight 15.

of cooking, uniformity of cooking, and conditions which do not in any wise adversely affect 'the streams .of cooked filled cans are delivered by eight conveyors 36 to eight elevators 36. The

; eight streams of cans from the elevators 36 are delivered via. eight conveyors 31 to the cooler 36. The eight streams of cans take a circuitous route through the cooler 36 and are subjected to a fluid or desired temperature to cool the cans. Again, each can is givena uniform cooling treatment and in timed relation to the cooking retort 33, so that the cooking of the product within the cans will be uniformly arrested to provide for uniform cooking. In most instances it will not be necessary to provide artificial cooling of the fluid cooler 36 provides for heat exchange between I fluid and the cans filled with food products. Thus obviously it may be used either as a cooler or a a low pressure cooker'a low pressure cook- -er being one where elevated pressures are not employed.

In order ,to eliminate loss of fluid as water in the cooler, 36, the cans enter and are discharged from an upper portion thereof.

Referring to Fig. 1, which is a plan view, the converger38 has eight chutes I62. The purpose of the converger is-to converge the eight streams of cans to asingle stream, as the capacity of the casing machines is such that it is necessary to feed all eight streams into one to coordinate with the capacity of the casing machine. The cans roll by gravity down the chutes I62 and four streams enter each chute I63. Then the two within the cooler 36 if sufilcient supply "of running water or relatively cool .wateris available. The eight streams of cans leaving the cooler 36 pass through the converger 38 and are there formed into one stream so that the one stream of cans may be delivered to the usual casing devices.

chutes I63 deliver into a common chute I64.

Thereafter the cans pass either directly to the twister, as 52 of Figs. 1 and 2', to turn the cans on end, depending upon the particular construcstream of filled, .vacuumized and sealed cans isdelivered to the inlet 30 from the usual seamer devices. These cans pass through the divider 3'I so that the one stream of -cans provided by easing machines' or first pass through a canv e seamer device is divided up so that eight' sreams are provided. v Each of these eight streams of cam: is provided with its respective elevator 32, so that eight streams of cans will be delivered to the combination preheater and cooking retort 33. After the cans have been first Obviously, changes may be made in the forms. dimensions and arrangement of the parts of the invention, without departing from the principle thereof, the above setting forth only preferred forms of embodiment.

We claim: I

' In a device for processing canned-foods, a housing member; a preheating chamber iii-communication with the atmosphere and positioned in the upper portion of said housing member; means providing heated fluid under atmospheric pressure in said preheating chamber; a cooking chamber insaid housing member, sealed from the atmosphere and positioned below said preheating chamber; means providing heated fluid under pressure above atmospheric pressure in said cooking chamber; can travel providing means in each of said chambersz can feeding means connected with said preheating chamber; and a rotatively movable fluid seal can transfer valve meansinterposed between said two chambers operative to transfer cans from said preheating chamber to said cooking chamber and to substantially prevent transfer of heated fluid under pressure between said two chambers, whereby any inadvertent leak in said valve means will permit use of escaping heated fluid in said preheating chamber.

WILLIAM CALVERT; 

